Category: 2022

LONDON—Thousands attended the popular and much-loved annual Armenian Summer Festival (ASF) in London on Sunday. What has become a yearly ritual for UK-based Armenians is also recognized as the largest Armenian event of the summer in Europe. 

Armenians and non-Armenians alike from across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland gathered to celebrate their identity and their roots.

“When I first came to the UK as a primate, the time coincided with the ASF. I did not know what was going to happen. Back then it was a much smaller scale,” recalled His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan. “Now, we see thousands of Armenians and non-Armenians come together to enjoy the many elements of our rich culture. It is a day that we all wait for until it comes and miss when it ends.”

His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan alongside His Excellence Ambassador Varuzhan Nersesyan, members of parliament and honorable guests.

The way meat should be cooked and lahmajun should taste was dictated by those cooking up a heavenly range of Armenian cuisine that sent guests on a one-way journey to Yerevan. The food was complemented by several Armenian specialties—one of which was a perfectly chilled bottle of Kilikia beer. As is prevalent in most Armenian get-togethers, the food and drink was a prominent part of the day. ASF chair Bedros Aslanyan relayed the importance of “bringing the entire Armenian community together irrespective of their background, political or religious persuasions.” He said, “The festival helps unite different parts of the Armenian community and continuously sends a strong message to the next generations.”

Vanouhi Petrosyan

The day was led by dynamic duo Teni Matian and Vanouhi Petrosyan, who were the emcees and ensured seamless entertainment. Petrosyan is passionate about the festival and how it “provides the opportunity to explore the full spectrum of Armenian arts and culture.” She said, “It was my pleasure to emcee the festival this year. I was really able to feel the energy of the crowd right from the epicenter of it all happening!”

A little girl dancing with Sofi Mkheyan

Gifted Armenian performers from the UK and Armenia left the crowd infatuated throughout the day. The famed Sofi Mkheyan was flown in from Yerevan as the headliner. She arrived with infectious energy and gave an unforgettable performance. “I am really happy the UK Armenian Church organizes such events. It has such a positive impact on the Armenian community. I loved being part of the festival and meeting so many incredible Armenians living in the UK. It is great to see the love and dedication from everyone,” shared Mkheyan. It was an honor for all to see such a recognized and adored artist who represents Armenia perform in London. The crowd was bursting with energy when Mkheyan performed “Hayastan” and her latest single “Amperic Vac.”

The fabulous Sofi Mkheyan bringing the crowd together

DJ Sipan Dro Petrosyan made it his mission to deliver a full range of the best Armenian music from start to finish. Singer Katya Janoff also performed. Some of her songs were inspired by her trip to discover her roots in Armenia. Well-known entertainer Kev Orkian was interviewed by Andre Simonian and touched on many key topics, one of which is how we can evolve as Armenians. The festival also featured an open-mic segment.

The accomplished ‘Akhtamar’ APG dance group gave a masterful performance leaving many eager to join in. The energy soared when the group performed ‘Yarkoushta’ and other signature songs. The group delivered exemplary synchronicity and showcased Armenian culture proudly. “ASF is all about Armenian culture, values and beliefs,” said dancer Elberg Grigoryan. “Performing Armenian traditional dances is the best way to gather all Armenians together and ensure that our rich culture is being treasured and passed onto the younger generations. As an Akhtamar performer, I am always fueled by the love of the dance but also the love reciprocated from the audience.”

Sofi Mkheyan performing with Akhtamar dance group and guests

The festival hosted over 20 Armenian-led businesses and organizations enabling them to share their visionary works with all. The children’s corner gave the younger ones a chance to explore their heritage in crafting Armenian related artworks. All age groups were destined to have an enjoyable time.

The day to remember was thanks to the many organizers and volunteers who made it possible. Each aspect of the day embraced excellence, even the weather. Bishop Manukyan concluded, “In London, it usually rains. But when asked how we manage to make it sunny every year on the day of the festival, I answer, ‘We are the Armenian church. We have a direct line of contact above.’”

Editor’s Note: The author served on the organizing committee of this year’s Armenian Summer Festival.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, European Council President Charles Michel and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels (RA Government, April 6)

In recent months, some positive momentum was registered in Armenia-Azerbaijan talks. The sides established national commissions on border delimitation and demarcation, and after a six-month break, the trilateral Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan commission on restoration of communication resumed its work. According to Russian sources, later confirmed by the Armenian deputy prime minister, the sides achieved significant progress in the negotiations, almost reaching an agreement on the route of the highway, which will connect Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan via the Syunik region of Armenia, as well as on modalities of border and customs control. The agreement to open the Armenia-Turkey land border for the crossing of third country citizens and launch direct air cargo trade between the two countries, achieved during the July 1 meeting of Armenia and Turkey representatives, seemed to add a more positive environment in the South Caucasus geopolitics.

In the light of these developments, some may question the title of this paper, arguing that Armenia and Azerbaijan are moving toward peace, and the possibility of a new war is quite remote and improbable. However, the situation is not as rosy as it may seem. The core reason for the conflict, the final status of Nagorno Karabakh, continues to remain unresolved. In this context, the situation is now worse than before the 2020 Karabakh war. During the 26 years of negotiations separating the first and the second Karabakh wars under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed that there was Nagorno Karabakh which should have status. The contradiction was about the nature of that status. Azerbaijan expressed readiness to provide the highest possible level of autonomy within Azerbaijan. At the same time, Armenia and authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic rejected any possibility of Karabakh being under Azerbaijani control, claiming that the only solution was the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh’s independence by Azerbaijan. 

We face a different reality after the 2020 Artsakh War. Azerbaijan claims that there is no Nagorno Karabakh anymore; therefore, Azerbaijan will not discuss the status of a non-existent entity with anyone, be it Armenia, Russia or the OSCE Minsk Group. The Armenian government claims that Nagorno Karabakh exists, and the rights of Nagorno Karabakh Armenians, as well as the final status of the region which should derive from those rights, should be negotiated within the OSCE Minsk Group. Armenian authorities hinted that theoretically, they might agree to the broad autonomy for Nagorno Karabakh within Azerbaijan under solid international guarantees, including the permanent deployment of the peacekeeping mission. The authorities of Nagorno Karabakh Republic state that any status within Azerbaijan is unacceptable for them, as it cannot guarantee the rights of Armenians and will force Armenians to leave their homeland. 

Russia and the West agree that Nagorno Karabakh exists and that its status should be decided, but this is the only area where they have overlapping views. From an American and European perspective, the only realistic way to move forward is to agree on some autonomy for Nagorno Karabakh within Azerbaijan, with guarantees that Armenians will continue to live there. Meanwhile, the agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the status of Nagorno Karabakh will pave the way for Azerbaijan, the EU and the US to demand the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Nagorno Karabakh after November 2025. After the complete rupture of Russia-West relations due to the war in Ukraine, the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Nagorno Karabakh is part of the renewed US strategy to contain Russia and weaken Russian positions in the post-Soviet world. 

Meanwhile, Russia calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to concentrate on the issues of restoration of communications and border delimitation and demarcation and postpone the decision on the future status of Nagorno Karabakh, as no compromise is realistic now. No agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh will ensure that Russian peacekeepers will remain in Nagorno Karabakh, as even the West understands that in those circumstances, the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers will open the way for ethnic cleansing. 

There is no clarity about the future of the OSCE Minsk Group. After the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia claimed that the US and France decided not to cooperate with Russia in this format, thus effectively killing it. During her recent visit to Yerevan, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried stated that despite the war in Ukraine, the US was ready to work with Russia within the OSCE Minsk Group. However, the Minsk Group co-chairs issued their last joint statement in December 2021. Regardless of the reasons, the co-chairs have ceased their activities since then.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani authorities, including President Aliyev, claim that if Armenia does not drop its demands to discuss the future status of Nagorno Karabakh, then Azerbaijan will demand autonomy for Azerbaijanis in the Syunik region of Armenia. As there is no Azerbaijani population in Syunik, this statement is an indirect threat to invade Syunik. The region is the only land area separating Azerbaijan from Nakhichevan. After the 2020 Karabakh war, Azerbaijani authorities increased their rhetoric about Syunik being a historical Azerbaijani land, which artificially divided the Turkic world, spanning from Istanbul to the Kazakhstan-China border. 

Thus, despite the recent positive developments on the Armenia-Turkey track and the issues related to the restoration of communications, the core issue of the conflict continues to divide Armenia and Azerbaijan. As any quick compromise on the status of Nagorno Karabakh is unlikely, the international community should focus on preventing a new war rather than changing the status quo that emerged after the 2020 Karabakh war. In this context, confidence-building measures may play a vital role, and all sides should welcome the recent EU initiatives in this direction.      

By Araz Dulgarian & Alec Boyajian, 2022 Head Counselors

Teen Session campers dancing the Haleh

The summer of 2022 marks 72 successful AYF Camp Haiastan seasons! During this special year, we will be hosting the highest number of total campers in recent years. Teen Session just hosted almost 110 campers, and Session One is sold out with nearly 150 campers, both returning and new! We are also extremely happy to have welcomed back Day Camp for the first summer since 2019.

Making this summer possible, our staff has its own milestones to share. The overwhelming majority of the staff is made up of AYF members, with the rest excited to join their nearest chapter. Our goal this summer is to enrich this young staff with memories and opportunities to carry them through as they stay active in the Armenian community.

Session One campers playing volleyball

One priority is to provide meaningful lessons and guidance to our campers. The campers are fortunate to experience this year’s Hye Jham and HYETalks lineup. In Hye Jham, formerly known as “Armenian School,” campers report to the recreation hall for a lesson with our three Armenian School teachers on Armenian history, language, current events and activism. Campers learn about the work of the ANCA, opportunities in the AYF and how they can join their local AYF chapter. They hold discussions on what it means to be Armenian and why we still fight for our identity today. There is also time allocated for Song Night, where the campers perform their cabin’s revolutionary song.

Every week, campers participate in HYETalks, a spin-off of TEDTalks. The purpose of HYETalks is to learn about a variety of Armenian topics through engaging activities, including art, dance and more. Last week’s HYETalks featured three different Armenian art stations where campers crafted khachkars out of clay and painted watercolor trchnakirs and portraits of Mt. Ararat on canvas. Station leaders explained the significance and importance of each of these symbols in Armenian history, to ensure our Armenian art and culture is never forgotten.

Counselor Sophia Tarpinian encouraging a camper during Olympics

Incoming campers have many activities to look forward to. Between boating on Uncas Pond, camper versus counselor dodgeball and Olympics, the fun at AYF Camp Haiastan never ends. So far, campers and counselors have all enjoyed camp traditions such as Vartevar, Opposite Day, Detective Game and Song Night. We have even been lucky enough to celebrate several camper and staff birthdays so far, and we’re looking forward to many more.

“One of the most magical moments to experience as a counselor is when the campers start to realize that this is not just a summer camp, and it’s really the foundation of their Armenian identity,” said returning counselor and AYF Washington DC “Ani” Chapter member Nareg Sakayan. The staff consists of a solid core of returning staff paired with a fresh group of first time counselors. Elizabeth Krmzian, a first-time counselor from the Greater Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter shared, “You want to give the children the same amazing experience that you had as a camper and leave them with long lasting memories that they will cherish.”

The 2022 staff is looking forward to the remaining sessions and welcoming returning campers, new faces and future staff members. We hope that the memories and lessons of this summer stay with our youth for generations to come. 

2022 Session One campers and counselors